Comments on: everyday yellow dal

By: deb

deb — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:19:38 +0000

I do! It does look like 1 teaspoon is accurate to the original recipe, which means I used it too. However, it does sound like a lot in hindsight… I need to make this again soon and see how that amount holds up for me. Regular green cabbage lets off a lot of water when it is salted — which might have allowed more of the salt to sort of “slip off” into the bowl as it releases its water and wilts — so using a leafier one might have affected it.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:58:41 +0000

No idea if you check all new comments, even if the posts are old, but I’d love some feedback. I made the slaw last night, and while it was really tasty, it was incredibly SALTY! This could have been because I used Chinese cabbage, which was much leafier and less sturdy than your standard grocery store head, but I thought I’d at least ask whether 1 tsp was accurate – it seemed like a lot for two cups of shredded veggie (and I love salt).

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:21:52 +0000

I love this yellow dal– thank you. It’s the first time I really believed it possible to make Indian food to rival a restaurant’s at home. My 11-year-old daughter liked it so much that she took the serving bowl and ate the dal like soup. One quick question. Any clues for making basmati rice? Brand? Ingredients to add? Mine is fine but nothing special

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:58:57 +0000

Great flavors in the dal. However, I had to stop cooking them at 2 1/2 hours, when they were mostly cooked for lack of time. Deborah Madison recommends soaking 3 hours –I’ll do that next time.

By: Kirsten

Kirsten — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:24:07 +0000

I just made the yellow dal! La la loved it! And I love your blog. I just blogged about it and you! Thanks!

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:52:53 +0000

I’ve made both the cabbage salad and the dal and they are both fantastically delicious! The dal is on the menu again tomorrow night. Question: it being winter and the tomatoes being both incredibly expensive and tasting of cardboard, would you recommend using some amount of tomato sauce, paste, or canned tomatoes?

By: Maggie

Maggie — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 01:10:57 +0000

an easier way to deal with the tedium of mincing ginger and garlic into tiny enough pieces to suit an indian dish is to puree them together in a food processor. or you could even crush them with a mortar and pestle. during my two years living in india i learned how to make what they call “ginger garlic paste” (which, incidentally, is the flavor base of most dal or curry, giving it that really authentic taste). you just puree equal parts of ginger and garlic in the food processor- it will store freshly made for up to a week in the fridge (for those who have a penchant for indian food- its just easier to have it already prepared). also, one specialty ingredient that i love to add to daily dal is called curry leaves, or kuddyapa. they can be found fresh in most indian stores, and have a distinctive flavor that i have never found in another herb. love all three of these recipes!

By: Danica

Danica — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 04:42:06 +0000

So delicious! I made all three tonight for a dinner party, along with your cucumber scallion raita and a big pot of basmati rice. It was a hit with everyone! The yellow split peas I used actually needed to be quick soaked with boiling hot water for an hour, or soaked for 6-8 hours instead….but I failed to note that until after I had been simmering them in the pot with the tomatoes and the cooking time was at least an hour or two longer than expected. Doh! I know better and don’t know why I didn’t think to check my bag of split peas first. The end result was still on the “firm” side, but done enough to eat. No one complained though, I suspect it was because the flavors were so tasty otherwise. :)

By: Winnie

Winnie — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:41:24 +0000

Deb,
you’ve been my hero since i started reading your blog,
but i just read in this post that you “abhor” cilantro–I think I just
added another 10 pedestal for you to be on!!! you’re my HERO. :)

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:41:55 +0000

We tried the yellow dal last night for dinner with quinoa and these: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grandmas-crushed-potatoes and it was all amazing. It was perfectly spiced and seasoned and all three of my kids (9,3 &1) loved it. My husband said it was the best meal he’s had in months (though, what does that say about the rest of the food I’ve been cooking?!)